Unsorted FBI Documents

§Rcv. 08 * 28 - 2000 )

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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date: 10/30/2002

Attn: SSA [

Major Theft and Transportation
Unit

Precedence: ROUTINE

To: Criminal Investigative

From: t ^iljne apQXis^

Squad 4/Dulu th RA
Contact: SA^

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Approved By:

Drafted By:

Case ID #: 149A-MP-.62632 / (Pending)

Title: CHANGED

S ENATOR-^PAU^ WELLS TONE (DECEASED) ;

SHEILA WELidSTONE- (DECEASED) ;

MARCIA WELLSTONE MARKUSON (DECEASED) ;

.MARY MoEVOY (DECEASED)

/ THOMAS LAPIC (DECEASED) ;

/ WILK MCLAUGHLIN (DECEASED) ;

/ RICHARD CONRY (DECEASED).;

MICHAEL GUESS (DECEASED) ;

\ CRASH OF BEECH KING. A100 at EVELETH,.MN;

\ 10/25/2002
^DESTRUCTION OF AIRCRAFT

Synopsis: iriTei'alr-r response‘^and preliminary investigation

conducted.

Previous. Title: Title marked "Changed" to reflect identities of

victims onboard the Beech King Ai00 which crashed near the
Virginia-rEveleth, Minnesota airport, on 10/25/2002. Title
previously carried as "UNSUB; Senator Paul Wellstone - victim;
Destruction of Aircraft."

Details:- On Friday, October 25, 2002, at approximately 10:2i
a.m., a Beech King A100 flying from Minneapolis -St. Paul, MN,
carrying six passengers and two pilots crashed on approach to the
Virginia-Eveleth, Minnesota, airport.. All on board the aircraft
perished. They were: Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN)-; his wife
Sheila Wellstone; their daughter Marcia Wellstone Markuson; staff
member Mary McEvoy; staff member Will McLaughlin; staff member
Thomas Lapic; the pilot Captain Richard Conry; and co-pilot
Michael' Guess. Senator Wellstone was travelling to Virginia, , ,

Minnesota to attend the funeral of the father of Thoff^g ^^^ ^gg fe^
a Minnesota State Representative and family friend. ” ** ‘

SEBlAUZEO-

> FILED-

NOV 0 ? 2002

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To : Criminal Investigative

Re: 149A-MP-62632, 10/30/2002

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From: Minneapolis

The impact of the crash and the resulting fire
destroyed the aircraft. The crash site was located in a densely
wooded area approximately 1/2 mile from Bodas Road in Fayal
Township, and access to the site was difficult due to the woods
and swampy terrain. The initial response was conducted by the
Fayal Township Fire and' Rescue Squad (FTF&R) and the St. Louis
County Sheriff's Office (SLCSO). An on-scene command post was
established by the SLCSO and traffic was restricted by the
Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) . An EOC (off-site operations
center) was later established at the Fayal Town Hall .

The two agents of the Duluth Resident Agency
immediately responded to the crash site to assist local
authorities, who had secured the scene after ascertaining there
were no survivors, and to 1 await the arrival of the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team. Agents of the Bemidji
RA arrived as well as the SAC. and a Supervisor from the
Minneapolis Office, the MP Media Coordinator, and eight members
of the MP Evidence Response Team.

On Friday night, 10/25/2002, the NTSB held an initial
operational meeting at the EOC. at the Fayal Town Hall to outline
investigative strategy. Attendees included the NTSB team, SLCSO,
the MSP, FF&R, MN Dept of Pub lic. Safety, the United States
Capitol Police, and the FBI. [Acting Head of the

NTSB, was introduced as the official spokesperson for any media
contact. I I was identified as the Investigator-in--

Charge of this investigation. The SAC of the Minneapolis Office
offered the assistance, of the FBI. The SLCSO and MSP provided
overnight and continuous security for the crash site and traffic
perimeter.

Beginning on Saturday morning, 10/26/2002, and
continuing through the evening of 10/27/2002, the. ERT assisted
the NTSB in the search of the crash site and the recovery of
human remains and personal property belonging to the victims.

All remains a nd personal pro perty were turned over to the medical
examiner, Dr. | l University Medical Center Mesabi,

Hibbing, Minnesota. All eight individuals on board the aircraft
were positively identified through dental records.

The FAA also arrived on 10/26/2002, well as
representatives from the pertinent airplane parts manufacturers.
Progress meetings were held by the NTSB at the Fayal Town Hall
each evening through October 29, 2002. It was explained that
this phase of the investigation was the data gathering .stage, and
that the analysis of the data would continue for some time. The

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To: Criminal Investigative

Re: 149A-MP-62632, 10/30/2002

From: MinrSlpolis

FBI attended progress meetings each evening 10/25/02 - 10/28/02,
and maintained telephone contact with the NTSB thereafter.

Initial information obtained from NTSB investigators
revealed that they were looking at the weather conditions,
equipment on the ground and the aircraft, communications between
the pilot (s) and air traffic controllers, and examination of the
wreckage. It was determined that there was no cockpit voice
recorder contained on the aircraft, and none was required. It
appeared that the pilot (s) had elected not to travel after a 7:15
am weather information request, but did file a flight plan after
an 8:15 weather information request. The weather conditions
included light snow and mist, a temperature hovering around the
freezing mark, some icing and fog at varying altitudes. The
plane left Minneapolis St. Paul at approximately 9:37 am. Near
the Virginia-Eveleth Airport the plane was cleared for approach.
There was no indication of anything wrong. The pilot did not
indicate distress in his last transmission with the controller at.
10:18 am. Radar data indicated that upon approach to the. airport
the aircraft made an unusual sharp left, turn to the south, with a
continuous air speed decrease. The last radar data fix was at
10:21 a.m. Witnesses reported hearing a low-flying aircraft,
silence, and then an explosive sound. Survey of trees at. the
wreckage site indicated that, the plane fell at an average 25
degree angle. Initial inspection of the wreckage revealed no
sign of pre- crash foreign object damage, and no major pre- crash
damage to the engines. The NTSB could not initially determine
why the plane made the left turn, and there was no definitive
cause of the accident after this initial phase of the
investigation .

UACB, the FBI will continue to assist the FAA and NTSB
with any requests they may have and will notify FBI HQ of
significant developments.

♦♦

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